Undergraduate Catalog 2008-2009

Undergraduate: BFA, BA; Minor in Studio Art
Concentrations: BFA concentrations include: Communication Design, Emerging Practices, Painting, Photography, Print Media, Visual Studies Studio and Sculpture; B.A. concentrations include: General Studio, Communication Design, and Photography.
Graduate: MFA

The Department of Visual Studies art degree programs have two types of bachelor's degrees in art: a focused studio program, which grants the BFA; and liberal arts based program, that grants the BA. The BFA degree focuses on intensive work in the visual arts supported by a program of general studies. The BA degree focuses on art in the context of general studies that may allow the student to pursue a minor or double major in another program, if desired. Four-year BA and BFA degrees (of 120 credits) are offered with undergraduate concentrations in communication design, emerging practices, painting, photography, sculpture, print media, visual studies studio and general studio.
These concentrations intersect with an emergent range of studio art, visual studies, and university electives.

Advisement is provided for accepted majors by a full-time academic advisor in the department, along with faculty members in the student's area of concentration.

Studio Art Minor

The Studio Art is an 18 credit minor in the Art Program. Students must apply to be accepted in this program after they have completed two studio art courses.

All BFA and BA intended art majors must apply to and be accepted by the Art Program in the Visual Studies Department.

Accepted students who have indicated fine art or studio art as their intended major on their university application are block registered into freshman foundation courses on a first-come, first-served basis. During the spring semester of the freshman year, students with an Art GPA of 3.0 or above are automatically granted admission to the Art program. Students with a GPA lower than 3.0 must have a portfolio review/interview to determine admittance into the Art program.

Currently enrolled UB students with a minimum GPA of 2.5 are eligible to apply to the Visual Studies Department's BA or BFA Art program. Admission is determined by a portfolio review and interview. Freshman foundation courses are required for the BA and BFA degrees and are also prerequisites for most upper level courses. Students should take these courses before applying to the major.

Schedule of Portfolio Reviews
Freshmen: Spring of freshman year if art GPA is below 3.0
Honors Scholarship: Check with Academic Advisor
Individualized Admissions: February - April
Currently Enrolled: Fall and Spring
Transfers: Spring prior to Fall entry

Acceptance Information
Number of applicants/year: 180
Number of accepted majors/year: 40-50 freshmen; 30 transfers/currently enrolled
Total number of majors currently enrolled: 300

Portfolio Review Procedure. To schedule a portfolio appointment, students must apply for a portfolio review by application available through the Visual Studies Department's Academic Advisor, Kim Yarwood.

Freshman Foundations Curriculum. Undergraduate study in art begins with the Freshman Foundations Program, a series of five thematically focused studio courses and one critical theory course. These courses are limited to sixty-eighty freshman level students. The foundations program provides a structured, supportive framework for the students' initial experience in art studio which is especially valuable in the freshman year. The program builds a solid basis of art concepts and skills for subsequent study. Foundations courses are structured thematically to introduce the student to two- and three-dimensional media, and the process of conceptualization by group and individual projects. Students learn to generate ideas, refine relationships of form and space, and develop skills of perception and hand-eye coordination. The Foundations program focuses on vocabulary development, critical thinking, basic tools and concepts of artmaking, ways of seeing, and transforming experience into artwork.

Sophomore and Junior Years. During the sophomore year, BFA and BA students take introductory (200-level) studio courses of their choice. Focused study in a concentration generally begins in the junior year. Three- and 400-level courses provide in-depth and focused studio experiences.

Studio Electives. Due to an evolving curriculum, there are many studio courses offered in emerging and hybrid media areas. These electives allow students to have the flexibility to select the courses most appropriate and interesting to them. A variety of seminars in contemporary art and visual studies are offered along with instruction in performance, video, sound, installation, public art, intervention art, new media, and gizmology. Studio electives may also be used to take courses in the Departments of Media Study and Theatre & Dance.

Senior Thesis Project. Students who are in the B.F.A. degree program are required to take a two-semester senior thesis project that culminates in an exhibition or presentation. This two-course sequence involves preparation, research, proposal development, and advanced studio exploration. Advanced work should demonstrate technical expertise, independent motivation, personal interpretation/expression, as well as an awareness of the context of current contemporary works and artists. Students may work in a single media or a combination of several media.

Students accepted to UB must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 to be eligible to apply and be accepted by the art program in the Department of Visual Studies. Admission is based on a portfolio review/interview; which takes place in the fall semester. Because of space limitations, delaying the portfolio review could jeopardize admission to the Art Program.

When a student transfers from another institution, their course work must be equivalent to UB art courses and also must have a grade of B or higher to be transferable. Transfer credits are applied toward the department's degree requirements upon acceptance as an art major. Transfer students interested in Communication Design must have a second portfolio review to be admitted into this concentration.